Creating a three dimensional effect by placing a lenticular surface over a composite image is well known (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,543,964 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,870 both incorporated herein by reference). Lenticular images are frequently used by advertisers in the form of posters, compact disk covers, video tape covers, video game covers, etc.
However, due to the time and expense associated with creating a lenticular image in the traditional manner, prior art uses of lenticular images is primarily limited to businesses with large advertising budgets. The average consumer is unable to purchase a “novelty” lenticular image. Practically speaking, customers cannot purchase an inexpensive lenticular image which includes a digital photograph of the customer incorporated into a customer selected theme. For example, while at an amusement park, a customer may wish to purchase a lenticular image which includes a picture of his children and selected characters associated with the amusement park.
In addition, prior art methods require all of the images used in the composite image to be available prior to the interlacing process. However, the interlacing process can be time consuming. As a result, services which create a composite image incorporating a digital image of the customer taken at the point of purchase while the customer waits may be impractical.